Athlon X4 750K vs Core i5-5257U

Athlon X4 750K vs Core i5-5257U Performance Spectrum

Athlon X4 750K

4 / 4

2,879

+1.5%

Ryzen Threadripper 3990X

Core i5-5257U

2 / 4

2,837

0.0%

About PassMark

PassMark CPU Mark evaluates processor speed through complex mathematical computations. It provides a reliable metric to compare multi-core performance, where higher scores indicate faster processing for multitasking, gaming, and heavy workloads.

Athlon X4 750K vs Core i5-5257U FPS Benchmarks

Predicted gaming performance across popular games. Tested paired with GeForce RTX 5090 to isolate CPU performance.

Search any supported game below to compare 1080p FPS for both components.

Athlon X4 750K vs Core i5-5257U: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

See where each CPU makes more sense in practice: gaming, heavier work, platform cost, power draw, and upgrade path.

Athlon X4 750K

2012

Why buy it

✅Better for gaming: +5.9% higher average FPS across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
✅Draws 100W instead of 512W, a 412W reduction.
✅33.3% more PCIe lanes (16 vs 12) for storage and expansion-heavy builds.

Trade-offs

❌Launch MSRP is still $91 MSRP, while Core i5-5257U mostly shows up through inconsistent older-market listings.
❌No integrated graphics, while Core i5-5257U can still boot and troubleshoot without a discrete GPU.

Core i5-5257U

2015

Why buy it

✅Integrated graphics onboard with Intel Iris Graphics 6100, while Athlon X4 750K needs a discrete GPU.

Trade-offs

❌Worse for gaming: lower average FPS than Athlon X4 750K across 50 shared CPU benchmark tests.
❌Lower PassMark (2,837 vs 2,879).
❌412% higher power demand at 512W vs 100W.

Quick Answers

So, is Athlon X4 750K better than Core i5-5257U?

Yes. Athlon X4 750K is the better all-around CPU here. It gives you a 5.9% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data and 1.5% better PassMark, which is enough to make it the stronger overall pick.

Which one is better for gaming?

If gaming is the priority, Athlon X4 750K is the better pick. According to our tests, it delivers 5.9% more average FPS across 50 shared CPU game tests.

Which one is better for streaming, content creation, and heavy multitasking?

For streaming, content creation, and heavier multitasking, Athlon X4 750K is the stronger fit. You are getting 1.5% better PassMark, backed by 4 cores and 4 threads.

Which one is the smarter buy today, not just the cheaper CPU?

Athlon X4 750K is the better buy right now. Athlon X4 750K comes in at an unclear MSRP at $91 MSRP versus unclear MSRP, and it still gives you a 5.9% average FPS lead across 50 shared CPU game tests in our data. It is also 100.0% better value on MSRP (31.6 vs 0.0 PassMark/$), so you are getting the faster CPU without taking a value hit on paper.

Which one is more future-proof for 2026 and beyond?

Core i5-5257U makes more sense long term for 2026 and beyond. You are getting a newer CPU generation (2015 vs 2012). That makes it the safer long-term bet.

Athlon X4 750K vs Core i5-5257U Technical Specifications

Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.

Athlon X4 750K

The Athlon X4 750K is manufactured by AMD. It was released in 2009-01-01. It is based on the Trinity (2012−2013) architecture. It features 4 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 3.4 GHz, with boost up to 4 GHz. L2 cache: 4 MB (total). Built on 32 nm process technology. Socket: FM2. Thermal design power (TDP): 100 Watt. Memory support: DDR3-1866. Passmark benchmark score: 2,879 points. Launch price was $149.

Core i5-5257U

The Core i5-5257U is manufactured by Intel. It was released in 1 March 2015 (10 years ago). It is based on the Broadwell-U (2015) architecture. It features 2 cores and 4 threads. Base frequency is 2.7 GHz, with boost up to 3.1 GHz. L3 cache: 3 MB (total). L2 cache: 256K (per core). Built on 14 nm process technology. Socket: FCBGA1168. Thermal design power (TDP): 28 Watt. Memory support: DDR3. Passmark benchmark score: 2,837 points. Launch price was $315.

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Processing Power

The Athlon X4 750K packs 4 cores / 4 threads, while the Core i5-5257U offers 2 cores / 4 threads — the Athlon X4 750K has 2 more cores. Boost clocks reach 4 GHz on the Athlon X4 750K versus 3.1 GHz on the Core i5-5257U — a 25.4% clock advantage for the Athlon X4 750K (base: 3.4 GHz vs 2.7 GHz). The Athlon X4 750K uses the Trinity (2012−2013) architecture (32 nm), while the Core i5-5257U uses Broadwell-U (2015) (14 nm). In PassMark, the Athlon X4 750K scores 2,879 against the Core i5-5257U's 2,837 — a 1.5% lead for the Athlon X4 750K.

Feature	Athlon X4 750K	Core i5-5257U
Cores / Threads	4 / 4+100%	2 / 4
Boost Clock	4 GHz+29%	3.1 GHz
Base Clock	3.4 GHz+26%	2.7 GHz
L3 Cache	—	3 MB (total)
L2 Cache	4 MB (total)	256K (per core)+6300%
Process	32 nm	14 nm-56%
Architecture	Trinity (2012−2013)	Broadwell-U (2015)
PassMark	2,879+1%	2,837
Geekbench 6 Single	—	950
Geekbench 6 Multi	—	1,900

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Memory & Platform

The Athlon X4 750K uses the FM2 socket (PCIe 2.0), while the Core i5-5257U uses FCBGA1168 (PCIe 3.0) — making them incompatible on the same motherboard. Both support up to DDR3-1866 memory speed. The Athlon X4 750K supports up to 64 GB of RAM compared to 16 GB — 300% more capacity for professional workloads. Both feature 2-channel memory with ECC support. PCIe lanes: 16 (Athlon X4 750K) vs 12 (Core i5-5257U) — the Athlon X4 750K offers 4 more lanes for additional GPUs or NVMe drives. Chipset compatibility: AMD FM2 (Athlon X4 750K) and Broadwell-U (Core i5-5257U).

Feature	Athlon X4 750K	Core i5-5257U
Socket	FM2	FCBGA1168
PCIe Generation	PCIe 2.0	PCIe 3.0+50%
Max RAM Speed	DDR3-1866	LPDDR3 1866 MHz
Max RAM Capacity	64 GB+300%	16 GB
RAM Channels	2	2
ECC Support	No	No
PCIe Lanes	16+33%	12

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Advanced Features

Virtualization: not specified (Athlon X4 750K) / true (Core i5-5257U). The Core i5-5257U includes integrated graphics (Intel Iris Graphics 6100), while the Athlon X4 750K requires a dedicated GPU. Primary use case: Core i5-5257U targets Mobile.